Overview

Between 3 percent and 20 percent of Americans experience irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. The condition affects more women than men. Some people with IBS have minor symptoms. However, for others the symptoms are significant and disrupt daily life.

What is IBS?

IBS is also known as spastic colon, irritable colon, mucous colitis, and spastic colitis. It is a separate condition from inflammatory bowel disease and isn’t related to other bowel conditions. IBS is a group of intestinal symptoms that typically occur together. The symptoms vary in severity and duration from person to person. However, they last at least three months for at least three days per month.

IBS can cause intestinal damage in some cases. However, that is not common.

Symptoms of IBS in women

Women may tend to have symptoms around the time of menstruation, or they may have more symptoms during this time. Menopausal women have fewer symptoms than women who are still menstruating. Some women have also reported that certain symptoms increase during pregnancy. Learn more about the nature of IBS symptoms in women.

Foods to avoid with IBS

Managing your diet when you have IBS may take a little extra time but is often worth the effort. Modifying amounts or eliminating certain foods such as dairy, fried foods, indigestible sugars, and beans may help to reduce different symptoms. For some people, adding spices and herbs such as ginger, peppermint, and chamomile has helped to reduce some IBS symptoms. Learn more about how certain foods interact with IBS symptoms.

IBS medication

If your symptoms do not improve through home remedies, such as lifestyle or dietary changes, your doctor may suggest the use of medications. Different people can respond

differently to the same medication, so you may need to work with your doctor to find the right medication for you.

As with all medication, when considering new medication, it’s important to tell your doctor what you are already taking, including herbal remedies and over-the-counter medications. This will help your doctor avoid any medication that could interact with what you are already taking.

What causes IBS?

Although there are many ways to treat IBS, the exact cause of IBS is unknown. Possible causes include an overly sensitive colon or immune system. Postinfectious IBS is caused by a previous bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract. The varied possible causes make IBS difficult to prevent.

The physical processes involved in IBS can also vary, but may consist of:

IBS triggers

For many people, the key to managing IBS symptoms is to avoid triggers. Certain foods as well as stress and anxiety can be triggers for IBS symptoms for many people.

Certain foods are common triggers for many people with IBS. However, some of these foods may have a greater effect on you than others. It may help to keep a food diary for a period to learn which foods are triggers for you.

IBS with stress

The automatic movement, or motility, of your digestive system is controlled to a great degree by your nervous system. Stress can affect your nerves, making your digestive system overactive. If you have IBS, your colon may be overly responsive to even slight disruption of your digestive system. It is also believed that IBS is affected by the immune system, which is affected by stress. Learn more about the many ways stress can affect IBS.

IBS with weight loss

IBS doesn’t affect the weight of everyone with the condition. However, it can potentially lead to weight loss if you don’t eat enough to maintain your weight to avoid symptoms. Cramping may come more often right after you eat. If frequent diarrhea is one of your symptoms, your body may not be getting all of the nutrients from the food you eat. Your weight may decrease as a result of this. Learn more about the ways IBS can affect your weight.

IBS with constipation

IBS with constipation is a type of IBS that typically affects adolescents and young adults. Stools that are hard and happen less often as well as constipation are the most common symptoms of this type of IBS.

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